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Drone Rules for Fort Union National Monument

Watrous, New Mexico (nm) • United States
3115 NM-161, Watrous, NM 87753, USA
Lat: 35.905 • Lng: -105.011
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 27, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Fort Union National Monument under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the monument superintendent. Fort Union preserves the largest 19th-century military for

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Historic Layer: ⚠️ NHPA National Historic Landmark — vibration-sensitive adobe ruins; drone downwash accelerates structural deterioration
  • Archaeological Layer: ⚠️ ARPA active — subsurface military and civilian deposits

Geographic Boundaries

Fort Union National Monument is located in Mora County, New Mexico, administered by the National Park Service.

  • Total area: ~720 acres
  • Coordinates: 35.9075° N, 105.0128° W
  • Nearest city: Watrous, NM (~8 miles south); Las Vegas, NM (~28 miles south)
  • Contains ruins of three successive fort complexes (1851–1891) including the largest adobe military structure in the American Southwest
  • Located along the original Santa Fe Trail corridor
  • National Historic Landmark designation
  • Listed on National Register of Historic Places
  • Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G

Regulations

  • NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
  • 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority
  • 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within monument
  • National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — National Historic Landmark status; drone rotor downwash and vibration constitute threat to integrity of irreplaceable adobe fabric under NHPA preservation mandate
  • Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — extensive subsurface military and civilian archaeological deposits from three fort periods
  • Santa Fe National Historic Trail — monument is a certified site on the congressionally designated trail (P.L. 101-365)
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • Misdemeanor charges under 36 CFR § 1.3
  • NHPA civil penalties for damage to National Historic Landmark fabric
  • ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 32 for willful violations
  • Equipment confiscation by NPS rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required for any commercial, film, or research flight
  • Structural vibration assessment required before any low-altitude permit is considered near adobe ruins
  • ARPA federal research permit required for any subsurface documentation
  • Santa Fe Trail Association coordination recommended for heritage documentation projects Submit requests to: Fort Union National Monument Superintendent, PO Box 127, Watrous, NM 87753
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Rule sources
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-2/section-2.17 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), NHPA National Historic Landmark protections (54 U.S.C. § 300101) for vibration-sensitive adobe ruins, ARPA archaeological protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), and Santa Fe National Historic Trail designation (P.L. 101-365) ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), NHPA National Historic Landmark protections (54 U.S.C. § 300101) for vibration-sensitive adobe ruins, ARPA archaeological protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), and Santa Fe National Historic Trail designation (P.L. 101-365) ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1510/arpa.htm — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), NHPA National Historic Landmark protections (54 U.S.C. § 300101) for vibration-sensitive adobe ruins, ARPA archaeological protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), and Santa Fe National Historic Trail designation (P.L. 101-365) ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uaspolicy.htm — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), NHPA National Historic Landmark protections (54 U.S.C. § 300101) for vibration-sensitive adobe ruins, ARPA archaeological protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), and Santa Fe National Historic Trail designation (P.L. 101-365) ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), NHPA National Historic Landmark protections (54 U.S.C. § 300101) for vibration-sensitive adobe ruins, ARPA archaeological protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), and Santa Fe National Historic Trail designation (P.L. 101-365) ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-1/section-1.5 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), NHPA National Historic Landmark protections (54 U.S.C. § 300101) for vibration-sensitive adobe ruins, ARPA archaeological protections (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), and Santa Fe National Historic Trail designation (P.L. 101-365) ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
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